Many organizations use team-based structures to achieve their goals. Team-based structures feature shared leadership, collective work, and an emphasis on collaboration. Something that team leaders ponder frequently is the effectiveness of their team and the relationships within their team. Without teams that work well together, leaders risk the efficiency, productivity, and thus reputation of their organization. While team-based structures are not suitable for all organizations, many have adopted it in the hopes that teamwork will enhance the efficacy of collaboration and improve the organization as a whole. In contrast, some organizations may become watered down by such a structure. Some people need the hierarchy within their organizations to maintain a possible strict nature of the business. However, improving one’s leadership skills, whether they lead an organization or not, is a timeless and valuable trait that anybody can benefit from.
Using a team based approach in regard to an organization has a plethora of advantages. One advantage that encompasses virtually all others is that team based structures enhance organizations strengths while minimizing its’ weaknesses. The decision-making process in a team-based organization considers more than the higher ups and executive officers when making decisions. The employees also have a say in how to move forward on many decisions. This inclusion and collaboration causes the employees to feel significantly valued within an organization and thus work to their full potential. Intrinsic values like feeling appreciated weigh more heavily on an individual’s productivity than extrinsic monetary incentives. Consequently, team-based organizations tend to spark secondary and ancillary team processes because teams tend to have higher productivity levels, improved relationships from getting to know one another, help each other where it is needed and they are great for sharing knowledge. Having people from otherwise separate departments work together, means that they would be sharing different perspectives, insights, and ideas sparking creativity than had they worked individually. Cross functional teams have people working from all different sects of an organization to reach a common goal. Having all those different fields of expertise weighing in on a topic has the potential to shine light on very important details that may have otherwise been missed. Team-based organizations, because of their efficiency, tend to have a more competitive edge in today’s rapidly growing market. This set up strikes a particular balance within the organization that helps to motivate employees, increase productivity, and create an all-around happy culture.
For people with minimal experience in working in teams, many of the advantages are thus void. Team-based structures help employees meet consumer needs more swiftly considering the need for management approval is not applicable. However, without sufficient experience or adaptability, teams waver. Issues arise when the focus veers away from the individual. This can happen because employees desire recognition for their individual achievements and this is a primary motivator but in team-based organizations, it is often the team as a whole that is evaluated. This may benefit an individual who does not do their fair share or take part where necessary, but the people that put in copious amounts of work get weighed down by those that don’t and this affects praise and recognition. As the chain reaction would have it, slacking on these intrinsic motivators demotivates workers and reflects poorly upon the organization. The decentralization of team-based structures also hinders productivity because without a classic hierarchy to maintain order, the organization could lack coordination and consistency. The lack of individuality in a team-based structure causes feelings of apathy, selfishness, and animosity. Teams can be made unreliable with these factors at play and it begs for a more centralized, distinct leadership to maintain the flow and peace.
There are copious steps that leaders as well as team members can make to improve the culture in their organization as well as their general work environment. Fostering trust and respect would help to establish leadership in a way that does not require assertion of authority. It is imperative that leaders maintain trust and respect in order for them to be taken seriously and for the workers to feel confident in his or her decisions/recommendations. For a leader to have a comprehensive understanding of how to lead a team to run effectively, they need to establish strong relationships with the employees. Knowing a person’s skill sets, experience, motives, and likes will help the leader know better how to delegate, where this person would fit best, or what they can offer to a team. As important as building a relationship between a leader and employee is, building relationships between employees is just as, if not more, important. A team needs to work well together in order to be effective. For example, having a team composed entirely of introverts would cause decision making to become very difficult and would end up being counterproductive. Diversifying a team so that peoples’ strengths get to be at play is the best way to help a team become more effective and productive. Part of being in a team is everyone working together to accomplish a goal. A particular goal that a team should make collectively is process of hiring. Team members should be in agreement with the addition of a teammate so that they can ensure he or she would be a good fit within the dynamics of the group. If just a CEO, leader, or other higher up were to make that decision, the results could be catastrophic. Nobody knows the ins and outs of a team unless they are part of it, so in order to add to that team, it is imperative to at the very least consult with the current members.
In order for an organization to flourish, it is imperative that the weaknesses are minimized and the strengths are fully utilized. To minimize weaknesses, organizations often opt for working in team-based structures. This way, individual employees can put their strengths to play while working with those that have different sets of expertise thus teaching them new perspectives while also learning new perspectives. The team-based structure is not suitable for everyone, especially particular places that require strict hierarchy and power, but for those organizations that foster creativity, it is an aid in improving productivity and efficiency.